Piano Competition 2026
The organizer of the competition is the Gustav Mahler Institute Prague in cooperation with the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava. The mission and goal of the competition is to deepen the interest and motivation of young talented pianists to interpret mutual understanding, interpretative confrontation, inspiration and love for music. The personality of the genius conductor and musical composer Gustav Mahler, who lived in Jihlava for the first 15 years of his life and inspired and enriched so much, reminds him of his noble ideas about the mission of music and is a permanent inspiration source and model for young musicians from all over the world.
Closing date: June 15, 2026
Announcement of results: July 20, 2026
Message from the President of the Jury
Dear Participants, Teachers, Parents, and Friends,
On behalf of the entire jury, I would like to congratulate all the participants on their inspiring performances and the remarkable effort that went into this year's online competition.
We were delighted to watch such carefully prepared performances, featuring thoughtfully chosen repertoire, consistently high-quality video and audio recordings, and excellent instruments on which the competitors performed. Equally impressive was the professionalism demonstrated not only by the older contestants, but also by many of the youngest participants in the first three categories. Your dedication, musical curiosity, and commitment were clearly reflected in every submission we had the pleasure of watching.
Our sincere congratulations also go to the teachers, whose expert guidance, musical insight, and devoted pedagogical work have helped each young pianist develop their artistry. We would also like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the parents and families for their encouragement, patience, and unwavering support in creating an environment in which these talented young musicians can grow, practise, and confidently share their musical gifts.
This year, the jury had the privilege of evaluating many truly outstanding performances. After long and thoughtful discussion, however, we unanimously felt that, although the overall artistic standard was exceptionally high, no single performance stood out with the exceptional combination of artistic maturity, individuality, and excellence that, in comparison with previous editions of the competition, would justify the awarding of the Absolute Winner Prize. Rather than selecting an overall winner, we felt it would be more appropriate to recognise several exceptional artistic achievements by presenting Special Awards for distinguished interpretations of works by individual composers.
Finally, I would like to wish each of you continued inspiration, and joy in discovering new repertoire. May your musical journey bring you many rewarding experiences, memorable performances, and continued artistic growth. We wish you every success in your future concerts and competitions, and above all, may your love of music continue to enrich both your own lives and the lives of those who have the pleasure of listening to you.
With my warmest congratulations and best wishes,
Libor Nováček President of the Jury
Results
(competitors are ranked in order of best by points scored)
Grand Prize - Gustav Mahler Prize 2026
Absolute winner, Personalized Glass Trophy, Prize Money 30,000 CZK, Diploma
not awarded
Honorable Mention for the interpretation of a composition by R. Schumann - Qin Zeng / China /
Category 1
1st Prize and Category Winner
Emma Poláčková / Czechia / I. Berkovich: Prelude op. 46, No. 5 in D major, P. I. Tchaikovsky: The Lark´´ s Song, E. Grieg: Melodie op. 38, No. 3, S. Majkapar: Toccatina Teacher/school: Radek Poláček, ZUŠ Nový Bor, Czech Republic
1st Prize
Yifei Tang / China / W. A. Mozart: Piano Sonata No 13 in B-flat Major, K 333, I. Allegro, J. S. Bach: Sinfonia No.11 in G minor, BWV 797 Teacher/school: Qingyi Zhou
2nd Prize
Sophia Drapáková / Czechia / Jiří Antonín Benda – Sonata in G major, III. Movement, Samuil Maykapar – 12 Album Leaves, Op. 16: No. 11, Melancholic Waltz, Antonín Dvořák – 2 Little Pearls, B. 156: No. 1, In a Ring (Do kola!), Jiří Pauer – Little Pieces for Piano: March (Pochod) Teacher/school: Miroslava Hořáková, ZUŠ Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Category 2
2nd Prize
Tereza Drapáková / Czechia / Joseph Haydn – Piano Sonata in E Minor, Hob. XVI:34, I. Presto, Bedřich Smetana – Vzpomínka na Plzeň (Reminiscence of Pilsen), Milan Dvořák – Jazz Etude No. 2 (from Jazz Piano Studies 2) Teacher/school: Miroslava Hořáková, ZUŠ Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Category 3
1st Prize and Category Winner
Klara Kliszczak / Poland / W. A. Mozart - Sonata B flat major KV333, 1 st Mov. Allegro, F. Chopin - Etude in C sharp minor, Op. 10 No. 4 Teacher/school: Agnieszka Liman, 1st Degree Selfgovernment Music School in Tarnowo Podgórne
2nd Prize
Boen Brian Jiang / Hong Kong / Chopin: Fantasy-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op.66, Copland: The Cat and the Mouse Teacher/school:
Emanuel de la Torre Quiroz / Mexico / "Un sospiro" Trois études de concert in D-Flat Major, S. 144/ 3. Franz Liszt (1811-1886), "Toccata d-Moll Allegro Andrei Eshpai (1925-2015) Teacher/school: Martina Hussmann, Musikschule Vaterstetten, Germany
3rd Prize
Matvei Korotkov / Russia / F. J. Haydn — Sonata in F major, K. Czerny — Etude No. 34, Op. 299, S. Prokofiev — Tarantella Teacher/school: music school N. 12 in Yekaterinburg in the "special piano" class (teacher Irina Yakovlevna Anisimova)
Category 4
1st Prize and Category Winner
Hedi Triki / UK / Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major K.330 1st movement, Chopin, Nocturne Op. 27 No 2, Lecuona Ernesto, Gitanerias Teacher/school: Clara Rodriguez, RCM JD (Royal College of Music Junior Department)
2nd Prize
Ryan Yeh / New Zealand / Bagatelles No.1 and 4 by Carl Vine 1st movt, Sonata No.2, Op.14 by Prokofiev Teacher/school: Dr. Rae de Lisle
Emma He / New Zealand / Schubert Piano Sonata in A major D.664 second movement, Ravel Sonatine 1st movement Teacher/school: Miss Yeh Chin,vSt Cuthbert's College Auckland, New Zealand
Category 5
1st Prize and Category Winner
Qin Zeng / China / R. Schumann Novelette in F-sharp minor, Op.21 No.8 Teacher/school: Nicholas Rimmer, University: Hochschule für Musik Freiburg
Category 6
1st Prize and Category Winner
Jie Liang / New Zealand / Ravel: "Scarbo" from Gaspard de la Nuit, M. 55, Beethoven: Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 106 ('Hammerklavier'), 1st movement Teacher/school: Ann Schein, Boris Slutsky, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University
3rd Prize
Man Hu / China / Haydn Sonata Hob.XVI：52 in E flat major I. Allegro Teacher/school:
Category 7
1st Prize and Category Winner
Peizhang Wu / China / Chopin Étude in D-Flat Major, OP. 25, No. 8,Ligeti Étude Book 1 No. 6 "Automne à Varsovie", Schubert Piano Sonata No. 20 in A Major, D. 959, 1st movement Teacher/school: Ran Dank, Eastman School of Music
2nd Prize
Yihao Li / China / Liszt Etude No. 10, Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 111, first mvt., Ravel " Alborada del Gracioso" from Miroirs Teacher/school: Men's-Chieh Liu
Subin Jeon / South Korea / Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 875, from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, No. 6, Joseph Haydn: Piano Sonata in B minor, Hob. XVI:32, Robert Schumann: Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - No. 1, 2, 7, György Ligeti: Étude No. 10, "Der Zauberlehrling" Teacher/school: Royal Conservatorie Antwerp
3rd Prize
Lingxiao Qiu / China / Robert Schumann: Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17 I. Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen; Im Legenden-Ton, Joseph Haydn: Sonata No. 31 in A-Flat Major, Hob.XVI:46 I. Allegro moderato Teacher/school:
Dahyon Min / South Korea / Rodion Shchedrin: Basso Ostinato, Claude Debussy: Reflets dans l'eau, Frédéric Chopin: Ballade No. 4 in f minor, Op. 52 Teacher/school: Prof. Bernhard Endres / Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg (Nuremberg University of Music)
Mahler's first public concert
"On 13-10-1870 there was, by way of an exception, an Abonnement suspendu, the reason being that a nine year-old boy, the son of a local Jewish tradesman named Mahler, was to be heard for the first time playing the piano before a large audience. The great success the future virtuoso achieved with his audience did him honour; one could only wish that for his excellent playing he had had an equally good instrument at his service. If the young artist's former teacher, Herr Kapellmeister Viktorin, hears of yesterday's success, he can certainly be pleased with his protege."
Our Absolute Winners
Rules
- The competition will be via videos published only on www.youtube.com.
- The competition is open for competitors of all nationalities up to the age of 32, the competition is divided into 11 age categories.
- The competition is a one-round competition, and the condition of the competition is to play from memory.
- The repertoire is free and should consist of one or more pieces which has to fulfill the time limit.
- The video must be a real recording without editing, shot in one static shot, with the camera slightly away from the competitor. Must be visible on the competitor's hands and body at all times.
- The video recording not more than 6 months old must be placed on www.youtube.com, the competitor will include in the application the exact internet link to the video recording.
- Each piece/composition can have a separate link.
- The full names of the pieces, the composer and the competitor, must be included in the video title or description (in English)
- The video must be public and accessible for the duration of the competition and for the next 6 months after the end of the competition.. The competitor will not seek a financial reward for posting the video and gives consent to post the video on the organiser's web site to announce the results.
- The organiser reserves the right not to open a category for organisational reasons or not to accept an application or to shorten the competition deadline for the competition for capacity reasons.
- The competition deadline: 15.6.2026.
- Announcement of results: 20.7.2026.
- Failure to comply with the above conditions, as well as an apparent reading of the notes during the game, may result in the competitor being eliminated from the competition.
- Application shall be submitted exclusively electronically by completing an online form at www.mahler.institute (at the end of this page) and paying a registration fee.
Age categories
Awards
Prizes totalling €5000 will be awarded.
Gustav Mahler Prize - Grand Prix - Personalized Glass Trophy, Prize Money 30,000 CZK, Diploma - the Absolute Winner
Concerts in Prague and Jihlava
Prize of Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava
Prize of Chief Conductor of the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava
Prize of Jury president
Prize of Director of Gustav Mahler Institute Prague
Prize for the best Czech competitor
Prizes for the interpretation of a compositions
Video lesson vouchers
Each competitor receives a diploma (by email) and the evaluation of the performance
Jury
President:
Univ. Prof. Libor Novacek BMus MMus
Solo pianist, Professor of Piano, Prague Conservatoire, Czech Republic
Members:
Doc. Mgr. Renata Lichnovská
pianist, pedagogue of The Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts Brno, Czech Republic
Mgr. Jiří Jakeš
Principal conductor of Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava, Czech Republic
- The jury will assess the competitive performance of the competitors, determine the order of the competitors in each category, determine the absolute winner of the competition, determine the award holder.
- The jury's deliberations are not public, the jury does not publish evaluations.
- The jury's decision is final, indisputable and there is no appeal.
Application Procedure
Application shall be submitted exclusively electronically by completing an online form at www.mahler.institute (at the end of this page) and paying a registration fee. A proof of payment of the fee shall accompany the application. Applications may be submitted no later than June 15, 2026. You will receive a final confirmation of your participation in the competition after you have submitted your application and credited the payment of the registration fee to our bank account (it takes a few days). Please wait for the confirmation email. If you don't receive the email within a few days, send us a notification.
Registration fee:
category 1 - 3: € 45
category 4 - 5: € 75
category 6 - 7: € 95
The bank fee is paid by the sender of the payment.
To pay the registration fee, use our bank account::
IBAN: CZ4820100000002601525645
BIC/SWIFT: FIOBCZPPXXX
Owner: Institut Gustava Mahlera, z.s.
address: Fio banka, a.s., Millennium Plaza, V Celnici 10, 117 21 Prague, Czech Republic
Fee can be paid via payPal (please use our email for Paypal: manager@f-gm.cz or QR).
Application form
Please, fill in in English only!